Once frail, hairless black bear cub runs around happily before moving to new home: Watch
Once frail, hairless black bear cub runs around happily before moving to new home: Watch The black bear cub will join Sequoia Park Zoo's two resident black bears, Tule and Ishŭng, who are both three years old.
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Before and after: Once malnourished, hairless bear is now fully furred
The orphaned and once hairless bear cub now weighs nearly 80 pounds, fully furred and has all the energy in the world.
An orphaned black bear cub, whose future was at one point uncertain, has found a new, permanent home at Sequoia Park Zoo in California.
The hairless bear cub was rescued in El Dorado County, California after several residents reported him slinking through the neighborhood in December 2024. After six months of intensive treatment, the cub has made an incredible recovery, gaining 60 pounds and growing back all of his hair. Residence and treatment has been provided by Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in Auburn, California.
Despite the cub's comeback, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife determined he is not fit for a return to the wild. Specifically, the agency has concerns about the cub's fur coat and whether it would be able to sustain winter conditions. As a result, the cub will be placed permanently at the Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California, about 270 miles north of San Francisco. At the zoo, the cub will receive ongoing treatment and daily enrichment.
More bear news: 'Mom, run!' Black bear caught swimming at Naples beach.
What type of treatment did the bear receive?
In Gold Country Wildlife Rescue's care, the bear cub received topical and environmental antifungal protocols; treatments for his ear infections, nutritional support; and supplements to support immune function, reduce inflammation, and restore skin and coat health, according to a news release.
When the cub was brought in to the rescue, he weighed only about 22 pounds. As of June 8, the cub weighed nearly 80, a news release states. According to the Bear With Us Centre for Bears, 1-year-old black bears should weigh between 15 pounds to more than 100 pounds, depending on their food supply.
More animal news: Zebra in Tennessee captured after more than a week on the run: Watch video
Preparing for a new home
Sequoia Park Zoo's bear habitat features a stream bed, including a waterfall that flows into a pond for swimming and foraging; log structures for resting and playing; and redwood trees for climbing, according to a news release. The cub will join the zoo's two resident black bears, Tule and Ishŭng, who are both three years old.
For his six months in human care, the bear cub has been referred to as solely Cub 24-3926. However, once the cub is transferred to the zoo, he will receive a real name. The name will be selected by the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, who funded the zoo's bear habitat, according to a news release.
A date for the cub's transfer had not been finalized, as of June 8.
What was wrong with the bear cub?
When the bear cub arrived to Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in December 2024, he was dehydrated, anemic, severely underweight, suffering from ear infections in both ears and a skin infection, as previously reported by USA TODAY. The cub was also about 90% hairless.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
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USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
Once frail, hairless black bear cub runs around happily before moving to new home: Watch
Once frail, hairless black bear cub runs around happily before moving to new home: Watch The black bear cub will join Sequoia Park Zoo's two resident black bears, Tule and Ishŭng, who are both three years old. Show Caption Hide Caption Before and after: Once malnourished, hairless bear is now fully furred The orphaned and once hairless bear cub now weighs nearly 80 pounds, fully furred and has all the energy in the world. An orphaned black bear cub, whose future was at one point uncertain, has found a new, permanent home at Sequoia Park Zoo in California. The hairless bear cub was rescued in El Dorado County, California after several residents reported him slinking through the neighborhood in December 2024. After six months of intensive treatment, the cub has made an incredible recovery, gaining 60 pounds and growing back all of his hair. Residence and treatment has been provided by Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in Auburn, California. Despite the cub's comeback, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife determined he is not fit for a return to the wild. Specifically, the agency has concerns about the cub's fur coat and whether it would be able to sustain winter conditions. As a result, the cub will be placed permanently at the Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California, about 270 miles north of San Francisco. At the zoo, the cub will receive ongoing treatment and daily enrichment. More bear news: 'Mom, run!' Black bear caught swimming at Naples beach. What type of treatment did the bear receive? In Gold Country Wildlife Rescue's care, the bear cub received topical and environmental antifungal protocols; treatments for his ear infections, nutritional support; and supplements to support immune function, reduce inflammation, and restore skin and coat health, according to a news release. When the cub was brought in to the rescue, he weighed only about 22 pounds. As of June 8, the cub weighed nearly 80, a news release states. According to the Bear With Us Centre for Bears, 1-year-old black bears should weigh between 15 pounds to more than 100 pounds, depending on their food supply. More animal news: Zebra in Tennessee captured after more than a week on the run: Watch video Preparing for a new home Sequoia Park Zoo's bear habitat features a stream bed, including a waterfall that flows into a pond for swimming and foraging; log structures for resting and playing; and redwood trees for climbing, according to a news release. The cub will join the zoo's two resident black bears, Tule and Ishŭng, who are both three years old. For his six months in human care, the bear cub has been referred to as solely Cub 24-3926. However, once the cub is transferred to the zoo, he will receive a real name. The name will be selected by the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, who funded the zoo's bear habitat, according to a news release. A date for the cub's transfer had not been finalized, as of June 8. What was wrong with the bear cub? When the bear cub arrived to Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in December 2024, he was dehydrated, anemic, severely underweight, suffering from ear infections in both ears and a skin infection, as previously reported by USA TODAY. The cub was also about 90% hairless. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
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Yahoo
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More than 90% of popular freshwater fish in Southern California are carrying human-infecting parasites, researchers say. This poses a significant danger for those who like to eat freshly caught freshwater fish. But there are ways to protect yourself. The parasites are called trematodes. Two species of the flatworms were discovered in California's freshwater fish, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The tiny, flattened and sluglike creatures can cause gastrointestinal problems, weight loss and lethargy when a person eats an infected fish. In some rare and severe cases, the parasites have caused strokes or heart attacks. 'Americans don't usually think about parasites when they eat freshwater fish because it hasn't historically been an issue here,' said Ryan Hechinger, the study's senior author. In fact, even when a person has fallen ill from a locally caught infected freshwater fish, their healthcare provider will typically ask if the patient has recently traveled outside of the United States, Hechinger said. Researchers identified two species of trematode: Haplorchis pumilio and Centrocestus formosanus. These two parasite species have historically infected people in Southeast Asia who eat raw fish, crustaceans or vegetables that carry the parasite larvae. A trematode has a very specific life cycle, leeching onto three hosts that include a freshwater snail, a fish and then a bird or human who ate the infected fish. The parasite was probably carried to the U.S. by the red-rimmed melania, or Malaysian trumpet snail, which is host to a number of parasitic species and was introduced to the United States, Hechinger estimates, decades ago. It inhabits "freshwater springs, streams, lakes and swamps," according to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, but can occasionally be found in "brackish and marine habitats, especially mangroves" (think the Everglades). The snail first popped up in California in 1972 in a Riverside County ditch, according to the center. Hechinger, through previous and new research, found that the snail and its associated trematode parasites can be widely found in lakes and reservoirs across the state. He's identified the snails in Los Angeles, Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. In summer and fall 2023, researchers, with the help of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, analyzed fresh fish that were collected at five fishing localities in San Diego County: Miramar, Murray, Lower Otay and San Vicente reservoirs as well as Chollas Lake. The fish included largemouth bass and bluegill. Hechinger and his team found that 93% of all the fish in the study were infected with the H. pumilio parasite, with some individual fish harboring thousands of the parasites. The second parasite, C. formosanus, was found at two of the five locations, where it occurred in 91% of the fish. The parasites are each found on different parts of the fish. H. pumilio is found at the base of the fins and C. formosanus is found on the gills. But the parasites can infect the muscles and connective tissue of the fish, Hechinger said, which is how a person eating it can get sick despite cutting off the head and fins. "The other thing we have to remember," he said, "is the possibility of contamination on the food preparation surfaces and utensils." The risk is real, but the precautions you can take against illness are straightforward. Thorough cooking of any freshwater fish that could potentially be infected can prevent illness, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If you choose to eat the fish raw, the agency advises you eat freshwater fish that has been previously frozen. Freezing will kill parasites that may be present. However, the FDA said freezing doesn't kill all harmful germs, so the safest route is to thoroughly cook your seafood. As part of this study, researchers conducted a survey of 125 YouTube videos with a total of 5 million views and found that 65% of these videos did not mention proper cooking or freezing of caught fish. The lack of proper food preparation not only promotes the transmission of parasites but can also increase the odds of infection, Hechinger said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
